Italian Manicone leaves Iran coaching staff for Serie A strugglers Pisa
Italian Antonio Manicone has left his role as an assistant to Iran head coach Amir Qalenoei to join Serie A club Pisa, which is currently mired in a desperate fight to avoid relegation.
Manicone joined the Iranian coaching staff in June 2023 and was with the Asian powerhouse at AFC Asian Cup in 2024, where Iran reached the semifinals before bowing out to host Qatar, as well as a successful qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
According to Italian media reports, including Calcio Pisa, Manicone will serve as the No. 1 to young Swedish head coach, Oscar Hiljemark. To finalize the move, Manicone had to terminate his contract with Team Melli, a process that concluded without any major official announcement from Iranian football authorities.
Manicone returns to a familiar environment. He began his playing career at Inter and Udinese and later coached within Inter’s youth system. He has also served on the staff of Vladimir Petkovic at Lazio and with the Swiss national team, in addition to a stint at Bordeaux in France.
His arrival at Pisa, which currently sits 19th in the Serie A table, is seen as a strategic move to bolster the coaching staff with experience. Italian outlet Sesta Porta notes that his extensive knowledge of Italian football and his international background — including what it describes as one of the most sensitive periods of his career with Iran — are expected to provide a crucial balance to Hiljemark’s youthful energy as the club navigates its crisis.
For Manicone, the move marks a return home after a period in the very different environment of Iranian football. For Pisa, his arrival is a bet on experience to steady a sinking ship, with every point now vital for survival in Italy’s top flight.